


Prince Harbinger

by Roosterteethlover



Category: RWBY
Genre: Ashitaka Clover, But he's ok, Clover is injured, Clover is smitten, M/M, Mentions of a curse, Princess Mononoke AU, Princess Mononoke Qrow, Qrow holds a knife to Clovers neck, mentions of a fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23620450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roosterteethlover/pseuds/Roosterteethlover
Summary: Clover was cursed by a demon and banished from his village to find a cure for it. His priorities change though, when he meets the prince of the crows and ravens, Qrow the prince of the forest.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 16
Kudos: 57





	Prince Harbinger

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I recently rewatched Princess Mononoke and was inspired by THAT scene, so I wrote it. It's a lot shorted than what I usually write I know, but I like how it came out! Let me know if you want me to write more of this AU!

Clover felt himself losing his strength from the fight while he rode on the back of the great wolf. He was too weak to keep himself upright. His vision swam and he drifted from consciousness to unconsciousness, finally tipping over and off the great wolf. He fell hard onto the cold ground, no sound left his lips when he landed. Just as no sound left his mouth when the great wolf began biting and yanking at his head.

“Stop it!” a voice, rough and deep called from miles away. But Clover fought and pushed through his bone deep exhaustion and blood loss to meet the voice that called for him to be spared from this great spirit's jaws.

“Leave him! He’s mine!” Clover let himself fall as the spirit released him, he wouldn’t have been able to catch himself anyway. He was still too weak. If the Harbinger wished to kill him, he would be completely unable to stop him. Not that the curse would let him die like that. 

“His own people shot him.” the soft words were spoken by the man in the black feather cloak, they had said in the village that he was a man whose soul had been eaten by the crows and ravens. Now he wished to kill their leader Lady Glynda, who was chopping down the trees and killing the forest. Though she seemed to have good reasons, she had to keep her town alive along with her people. Still there had to be a better way. A way to save the forest and keep the town thriving.

“Why did you stop me from killing her? Tell me while you’re still alive.” he spoke with such ferocity, a true being of the wilds he called home. He was like fire, bright and strong, but you knew that if you got to close, you would be burned. Clover was unafraid of its heat, if it meant he could be near this man.

“I didn’t want them to kill you. That’s why.” he spoke, his voice was weak. Even though the curse would not let him die, it still let him feel the pain of the bullet in his chest. It hurt to speak, but he had to, he had to speak with this man. To try and convince him that all was not lost. That things could be changed without a need for mass bloodshed. The people of that town, Lady Glynda, they were good people. Good people who only wished to live their lives in peace, if they could learn to do that without hurting the forest, then all would be well. Clover was more sure of this than he had ever been, he could help these people, help this man. He only needed time, and to see with eyes unclouded by hate.

“I’m not afraid to die. I’d do anything to get you humans out of my forest.” such conviction, he spoke with a passion unrivaled by any Clover had met in his life. This man with his burning jeweled eyes, pale skin that almost seemed to glow in the moonlight, he was dazzling. His tribal clothes only accentuated how different this man was from the people of the village. This was a man of the forest….no. Not a man, not in the traditional sense. This was not a bird, nor a man, nor a creature of any kind. He was entirely new, and had already settled his way entirely into Clovers heart. 

“I knew that from the moment I met you.” which is why he had to stop the fight when he did. He couldn’t allow Lady Glynda or the villagers to kill him. He was too important, the forest needed him, Clover needed him. He needed this man to live. To keep acting as the forest's protector. To keep the balance from shifting too far to any one side. But this man was so filled with rage and hate for the humans, Clover needed him to open his eyes, to see, truly see.

“I’m not afraid of you! I should kill you for saving her!” he growled, his hands bunching into fists as he spoke. He was practically spitting fire at Clover, now the Harbinger kneeled above him. A shining dagger held to his throat, the tip just barely pressed on the tender flesh. It would be pointless to try, and somehow Clover knew that this man was aware of that. He looked into the Harbingers eyes, he saw many things. He was the forest that he called home, he was crows and ravens flying through the skies, he saw anger burning deep in his heart, and he saw fear. But fear of what? Fear of him? Of what he had done in the village? Of what his curse had manifested as, with its black ghostly tendrils covering her and Lady Glynda. 

“That woman is evil, and there is no one who can stop me from killing her.” Clover had to try regardless. He had to show this man that death was not the only way. Killing Lady Glynda wouldn’t kill the village, it would only serve to spread hate and death. The villagers would more likely burn down the forest in an act of vengeance if Lady Glynda were to be killed. Hate only breeds more hate, and an eye for an eye would leave the whole world blind. He had to stop the hate and the death, before it consumed their hearts, like it would consume his.

“No.” he breathed, still weak and growing only weaker, “Live.” he had to live. Had to press on and keep moving forward. To keep balance, to stay with Clover and fix all of this. He knew that together they could fix this! All they had to do was let go of anger and hatred and work together to find a solution. It could work, Clover knew it could. If only they could see.

“That’s enough! I’m not listening to you anymore!” the tip of the blade lowered just a hair. Enough to where Clover felt its icy steel like a pin prick on his throat. He did not fear death, but he did fear what may become of the Harbinger if he went through with this act of violence. 

“I’ll cut your throat! That’ll shut you up!”

Clover had truly never met anything or anyone like this man. He was feral and wild, his ruby eyes holding a fire he could feel branding his heart. He was as untamed as the spirit filled forest that he called his home, nothing about him was held back or docile. Clover felt his world shift upon meeting his eyes. Like for the first time he was seeing the sun, it hurt and it burned, but it filled him with a warmth Clover had never known. Even as the sharp tip of the blade pressed itself to his throat, he spoke in a voice soft and filled with awe.

“You’re beautiful.” 

The man seemed astonished at the words, jumping back from Clover as though he had been physically shocked by them. Had he never been called beautiful before? That was a shame like no other, how could a man as beautiful as him never have been told this truth.

And a truth is what it was, just as the stars shone each night, and as the world spun, this man was beautiful. An honest statement that he had just spoken and planted into the world, a seed that would grow and blossom until all could see it’s certainty. 

His dark spiked hair, the shining rubys that were his eyes, how could anyone look at this man and not think him beautiful? His moon kissed skin, shining in the light, the wild untamed, unrestrained raw furious power that burned bright in his eyes. The way he fought with his heart and soul, so desperate to protect his home. His fluid, swift movements when he fought, he radiated such confidence when he fought. He knew how skilled he was and fully trusted himself and his abilities. 

This man was strong, brave, bull headed, and the most incredible man he had ever met. He didn’t even know his name.

The great wolves had set themselves at the man's sides, “What is it Qrow? You want me to crunch his face off?”

Qrow.

His name was Qrow. 

Gods he had never heard such a perfect name, he whispered it in his heart again and again. Qrow, Qrow, Qrow. It was like the sound of bells swaying in the summer breeze. It fit the man, Qrow, so well. So perfectly. It belonged purely to his feral, ferocious, beautiful, man of the forest.

Laying there on the cold hard ground, Clover never felt warmer. His heart was surrounded by the fire that was Qrow. He swore, he would break this curse placed on him, and stay with Qrow one way or another.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! If you have any requests or prompts for something you would like to see me write, then just comment below or send me and ask @collectingsoarechangemadeeasy on Tumblr! I only ask that it's RWBY related and SFW and I promise I'll get to it as soon as I can. have a lovely day you guys!


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